A common ophthalmological surgical technique is the removal of a diseased or injured lens from the eye. Earlier techniques used for the removal of the lens typically required a substantial incision to be made in the capsular bag in which the lens is encased. Such incisions were often on the order of 12 mm in length.
Later techniques focused on removing diseased lenses and inserting replacement artificial lenses through as small an incision as possible. For example, it is now a common technique to take an artificial intraocular lens (IOL), fold it and insert the folded lens through a relatively small incision, allowing the lens to unfold when it is properly positioned within the capsular bag. Techniques and instruments have also been developed to accomplish the removal of the diseased lens through an equally small incision.
One such technique is known as phacoemulsification. A typical phacoemulsification system includes a handpiece having a tip sized to fit through a small incision. Within the tip a hollow needle is vibrated at ultrasonic frequencies in order to fragment the diseased lens into small enough particles to be aspirated from the eye. Commonly, an irrigation sleeve is mounted around the needle through which irrigating liquids are infused into the eye to flush the lens particles created by the vibrations. Often the needle is hollow and forms a pathway to aspirate the irrigating fluid and lens particles from the eye. In this way both aspiration and irrigation are performed by a single instrument requiring only a single incision.
It is extremely important to properly infuse liquid during such surgery. Maintaining a sufficient amount of liquid prevents collapse of certain tissues within the eye and attendant injury or damage to delicate eye structures. As an example, endothelial cells can easily be damaged during such collapse and this damage is permanent because these cells do not regenerate. One of the benefits of using as small an incision as possible during such surgery is to minimization any leakage of liquid during and after surgery to prevent tissue collapse.
Separate flow paths are required for the infusing and aspirating functions to be carried out properly. This requires the use of separate lengths of flexible tubing extending from the handpiece to the flow system control module. Typically these tubing lengths are on the order of 200 to 250 cm. Because the aspiration and irrigation tubes both go from the handpiece to the control module they often become tangled with one another, making manipulation of the handpiece more difficult.
Multichannel tubing is well represented in the prior art. U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,287,290, 6,527,761 and 6,709,401 teach and describe methods, systems and kits for lung volume reduction which utilize catheters having multiple channels for introduction such expedients as gas for inflating a balloon attached to the catheter, guide channels for the introduction of other catheters and as aspiration channels.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,143,373 teaches and describes a catheter system and method for injection of a liquid embolic composition and a solidification agent for the injection of a liquid and a solidifiying agent to close off aneurysm. The multiple lumens are used for the injection of different liquids into the circulatory system.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,066,130 teaches and describes a system for delivering laser energy in which, in one embodiment, a liquid and a guide wire are fed through separate channels in a single catheter.
While these references describe catheter systems having multiple lumens, such systems are designed for insertion into the pulmonary or circulatory systems. None are used for the delivery of irrigating solution to an ophthalmological surgical handpiece while simultaneously providing a path for the aspiration of fluid from the handpiece. None teach or suggest the construction of aspiration/irrigation tubing apparatus connectable to existing handpieces and fluid control consoles as well as to handpieces and consoles specifically designed to accept such apparatus.
The need thus exists for aspiration/irrigation tubing apparatus and connectors that can be connected to existing surgical handpieces and control consoles without modifying them.
A further need exists for such apparatus which allows a surgeon to manipulate the handpiece without kinking the aspiration/irrigation tubing.
Further, a need exists for such tubing and connectors to be made available in inexpensive and disposable versions.
While the following describes a preferred embodiment or embodiments of the present invention, it is to be understood that this description is made by way of example only and is not intended to limit the scope of the present invention. It is expected that alterations and further modifications, as well as other and further applications of the principles of the present invention will occur to others skilled in the art to which the invention relates and, while differing from the foregoing, remain within the spirit and scope of the invention as herein described and claimed. Where means-plus-function clauses are used in the claims such language is intended to cover the structures described herein as performing the recited functions and not only structural equivalents but equivalent structures as well. For the purposes of the present disclosure, two structures that perform the same function within an environment described above may be equivalent structures.